5-year-old hit, killed by car in North Austin

By: Andy Jechow

Posted: May 13, 2016 02:36 PM CDT

Updated: May 13, 2016 02:36 PM CDT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A five-year-old boy died Friday afternoon after being hit by a van in North Austin.

Police say the boy, Uriel Garcia, had just been driven home by his mother from Wooten Elementary. As she parked on the west side of Gault Drive just off West Anderson Lane, he got out of the car and ran across the street to their home in the West Anderson Court Apartments when he was hit at around 2:17 p.m.

Uriel Garcia, who was hit, killed while crossing Gault Street Friday, with his father (Courtesy: Garcia Family).

Copyright by KXAN - All rights reserved

Uriel Garcia, who was hit, killed while crossing Gault Street Friday, with his father (Courtesy: Garcia Family).

Officers arrived to find the boy in the street with obvious trauma; he was immediately pronounced dead.

APD says the van was going below the speed limit and the driver remained at the scene. Charges are unlikely.

The boy's aunt, Linda Gonzalez, said, "The case is open. Since there there are no more witnesses they can't make an arrest. It's not fair."

Austin police crisis counselors have been speaking with both parents. The mother is said to be eight months pregnant and very distraught. The father, Juan Garcia, was upset as well, "We want justice, that's what I don't understand. I just want justice. It could have been anyone of you any of us. I wouldn't want anyone to be in my shoes."

Cpl. Chad Martinka of the Austin police urged parents to make sure their kids are next to them when near roadways and that they should cross at cross walks after looking both ways. "Don't let your child run out away from you," he said. "Do whatever it takes to prevent a horrible accident like this from occurring."

Garcia's death was the 10th auto-pedestrian fatality this year, compared to 11 last year at this time. In 2015, only two of the deadly pedestrian crashes involved victims under the age of 18.